Sarasota County Schools

One reason so many parents choose Sarasota is our highly acclaimed elementary, middle and high schools. Sarasota is known top have an excellent school system.

Recognition

In National surveys, Sarasota County was honored as:

• an All-America County for outstanding citizen-led efforts, including collaboration between school district and community events
• one of only 15% of school districts in the country to receive the “What Parents Want Award”
• best small city in the U.S. because of quality of life and outstanding schools (Money Magazine) Sarasota County Schools were recognized as having:
• exemplary financial audits for past several years
• top bond ratings in state for sound financial management
• national awards for excellence in school financial reporting
• outstanding arts education (by Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and National School Board Association)
• Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine ranked New college the seventh best value in public higher education. It is the only public college in Florida named a "best buy" in the noted Fiske Guide to Colleges 2003.
  
• Time and Money Magazine both named Sarasota's New College as the "2nd Best College Bargain in the Country." New College outranked such schools as the University of California, Berkeley and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Student Achievement

• Sarasota County students in grades 2 through 10 consistently score above the national median in the reading and math areas of the Stanford 9 Test.
• District students in all grade levels regularly rank near the top of the state on the FCAT tests and Florida Writing Assessment.
• In 2006 Sarasota’s students scored 78 points higher than other state seniors on the total of verbal, math and writing sections and 33 points higher than their national peers.
• In 2006, district totals for the Bright Futures Scholarship Awards were: 286 Academic Scholars, 699 Florida Medallion Scholars, 27 Gold Seal Scholars.*
• Students consistently achieve statewide, national and/or international honors in academic and athletic competitions, such as science, speech, debate, foreign language, math, music, journalism, yearbook, video production, cheerleading and Odyssey of the Mind, etc.
• Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts program is nationally recognized for excellence. • Pine View consistently has one of the highest percentage of National Merit Finalists in the state. The national ranking system just awarded Pine View overall as number 6 Nationally.

Technology

• Next Generation classrooms are found in each high school promoting the use of high-tech learning tools to best prepare students for the demands of the digital world.
• ActivBoard technologies are being installed in every classroom to engage students in 21st century learning
• Each elementary school has a science lab with authentic equipment and wireless computers to encourage hands-on learning and research.
• Over 15,000 instructional computers in the school system create an average ratio of one computer to three students.
• Online assessment and curriculum planning tools are used to help teachers better target instruction to the individual learner.
• Online grades and attendance programs at all high schools allow for home access by parents and students.
• A collection of online research products is available to staff, students and parents for safe and structured Internet research at both home and school.
• Establishment of streaming learning videos allow focused use of high-impact visuals

Programs and Services

• Environmental science programs provide offshore explorations, internships and research opportunities with Mote Marine Laboratory, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and the
• University of South Florida/New College.
• Students produce daily news television programs and film their school’s special activities.
• The technical school is a leader in the latest patient care training technology with patient simulators and an innovative mobile learning lab for on-location training.
• Connect-ED, a school-to-parent communication system, allows schools to reach families at a moment’s notice and will call up to six different phone numbers during an emergency.
• The district’s television station, the Education Channel, broadcasts round the clock via Comcast Cable channel 20 and Verizon FiOS channel 33, providing educational programs and school system information.
  

* Sarasota Elementary Schools (50) * Sarasota Middle Schools (37) * Sarasota High Schools (28) * Sarasota Public Schools (39) * Sarasota Private Schools (29) Post High School Sarasota County Technical Institute Manatee Community College South Campus New College of USF Ringling School of Art and Design

Sarasota County Schools County Public Schools Alta Vista Elementary Ashton Elementary Bay Haven School of Basics Plus Booker High School Booker Middle School Brentwood Elementary Brookside Middle School Cardinal Mooney High School CYESIS Program Emma E. Booker Elementary Fruitville Elementary Garden Elementary Gocio Elementary Gulf Gate Elementary Lakeview Elementary Laurel Nokomis School McIntosh Middle School

New Gate School (Private) Oak Park School Out of Door Academy (Private) Phillippi Shores Elementary Pine View School Riverview High School St. Stephens Episcopal School (Private) Sarasota Christian School (Private) Sarasota High School Sarasota Middle School Southside Elementary Taylor Ranch Elementary Tuttle Elementary Venice Area Middle School Venice Elementary Venice High School Wilkinson Elementary   Raising Waldorf Shool Children Book